JLA Riddle of the Beast
by batman.wolverine
Summary: Read the ‘Elseworlds’ story of 'Riddle of the Beast' sometime ago. This is my take on it, but as always, one with a BMWW twist to it. First effort at Elseworlds. [BMWW, SMLL, others]
1. Prologue: The Call

**Title: Justice Legion: Riddle of the Beast**

**Author: **BatmanWolverine  
**Fandom(s): **DC (JLA, Elseworlds)  
**Genre: **Romance, Drama, Action  
**Pairing/Characters:** BMWW and others.  
**Rating:** PG15

**Summary:** Read the 'Elseworlds' story of the same name sometime ago. This is my take on it, but as always, one with a BMWW twist to it. First effort at Elseworlds.

**Warnings (and Spoilers):** JLA: Riddle of the Beast (Elseworlds), others

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Batman, Wonder Woman or any of the other character Justice League characters. All owned by DC. Any OCs are my own creation and are free for anyone to use, just give me a shout out first.

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**01. Prologue: The Call**

_The Wide Men used to say that when God made the World, it was so beautiful that even HE could never surpass it. So he retired, and the rest if creation remained Unborn._

_In all the dark void, the world was alone._

_The wise one are dead now, perished when The Beast's odious tentacles spread across this living sparkling gem and soured it with Evil. Friends fought with friend; families were thrown asunder; lovers parted, never to reunite. Inspired by Chaos, the world's own darklings arose like shadows to prey on all that was good and decent. _

_After a year and a day, the reign of evil was overthrown. The Beast was defeated. He died in the Abyss._

_Or so the world believes…._

-----

Fifteen years have passed since the war with the Beast. Despite and maybe due to its relative isolation, the cliff-top town of Haven flourished and yet remained innocent.

Unaware of the coming darkness and the danger it brings, two children sat playing on the lush green grass. Engrossed in their game and in each other, they did not notice the dark form swooping down from the clear blue sky.

"You fell into my trap, Timmy!" The raven-haired girl grinned at her partner's move. A single rose adorned her hair, its affect only adding to her blossoming beauty. "That's another game you lose!"

"I don't think so Ariana," the boy wiggled his eyebrows at her, his eyes mirroring his mischievous smile. "Not if I do this…." he said, making a couple of quick out of turn moves to get his piece to safety.

"You're _Cheating_!" Ariana cried out, her voice carrying no anger, but only a teasing blame.

"I have to…," the red and clad teenager admitted. "Or you always beat me!"

"You know the punishment for cheats…," the girl warned as she pounced onto her friend, her sudden move toppling all pieces over. However, the game and its pieces were the farthest in this mind as she pushed the boy over, climbed over him and fiercely began tickling his sides.

"S-Stop it! HA HA HA!" Tim pleaded, his uncontrollable laughter not allowing him to find enough support to stop her himself. "Please...HA HA….please Ariana…p-p-pleeezzz…HA HA!"

"Promise not to cheat?" Ariana demanded, slightly slowing down her assault.

"P….HA HA….pro-promi---sss." Even as he gasped those words, Tim found the support he was looking for, and in one swoop, reached and pulled Ariana to him, their lips mashing against each other. For a second there, they stayed like that, neither quite certain what was happening.

"Oh," was all Tim could say as they finally broke away, Ariana's deep blue eyes widely staring at him, her one hand coming up to touch her suddenly sensitive lips. Although they liked each other, they still hadn't gone much far with each other. Their only kisses had been on their cheeks and even those were light and hesitant. Both had blushed red when it first happened, but compared to just now, that seemed like a walk in the park.

"I-uh…I…." Ariana scrambled to find her words, her mind in turmoil. For a second there an old thought rose within her. 'Let a boy kiss you on the lips and you become pregnant.' That was the story that her granny had hold her, one that she had believed since many years, but not anymore. Recently she learned from her mother that kissing did not give you babies. Babies came from something else. What it was, her mother did not tell her, saying that she was too young for it. Ever since then she had tried her hand at this kissing a boy, a very special boy….her boy, just as she was his girl. Tim Drake, or just Timmy to her, was not only her best friend, but he also was her boy friend. He was the boy she wanted to marry and one day, have babies with….just two babies, one like him and one like her.

"Wanna do it again?" Tim asked hopefully.

Not trusting herself to speak Ariana dumbly nodded her answer. Leaning down slowly this time, her eyes locked with his, she let her lips join with his. Both of them had parted their lips, as they had seen the adults do when they kissed. What to do next they did not know, instead they stayed like that for a few more seconds, until….

"ROBIN! Come here."

-----

"Father!" Tim 'Robin' gasped. In their surprise and the subsequent panic at being caught, the bumbling teenagers knocked their heads against each other.

"OW!" Ariana cried out, rubbing her hand against her aching forehead. Looking around they found that there was no one there and that voice had come from the house a few meters away.

"Sorry," Tim apologized as he straightened his hair. Somewhere during their kiss, Ariana's hand had found its way there, giving him a ruffled, unkempt look.

Within seconds, they were up and had fixed themselves, both sporting a rosy glow.

"Come with me," Tim said. Without even waiting for an answer, he took Ariana's hand and started leading her towards his house.

----

"Where have you been boy?" Jack Drake called out, seeing his son and his girl come down the slope.

"Just playing," Tim held up his folded game-board, its pieces clinking in the pouch at his waist.

"Eh! Come quick. I have work for you."

Thinking that maybe it was something to do with his father's work, Tim scratched the back of his head as he asked, "What? Need something taken to the shop?"

"Not that," Jack shook his head, as he held up a piece of paper. "A message bird just came. The Oracle has summoned you. Go to him now."

"Aww! Dad," Tim huffed as he gestured towards his friend. "Ariana and I are playing…! Besides, it'll be dark soon…." he offered as an excuse. "…and there's a storm brewing. Can't I wait till morning? I'll go then. Promise. Its not even a school day."

"Nothing doing kid," Jack shook his head. "You can take a torch, but don't forget to…."

"Yeah yeah, I know. Don't forget to wear my _stupid_ Robin suit." Tim sighed and apologetically looked at Ariana. They had been having such a great time together, especially that kissing thing. That was something he'd want to do again…soon.

"Wash your mouth out, boy!" Jack scolded his son. "That suit is not stupid. I got it made after mine," he gestured towards his own clothing. Although same as Tim's green and red, his was full pants as compared to Tim's half. It was also more expensive looking; with an ornate feather effect vest. Its collar had gold engraving on it, just as did the gloves and knee-high boots. Tim's suit was just like his father's, except the 'R' insignia, which in his father's case was on the center of the belt buckle, while in his it was on the band of the green colored bag he used to carry.

The tale of the suit and its colors was a long and oft heard one. It was a reward from one of the noble kings who had fought to vanquish the Beast. For his valor, the king had given the then teenaged Jack Drake, a lowly soldier, a suit just like the one that his sons had worn. Since that day, whenever he left his house, Jack Drake wore only green, red and yellow. As time passed, he used the gold that the king had rewarded him to set up his own business and had done quite well for himself. He had a nice spacious house, one of the biggest in the town, a beautiful 'dutiful' wife and a healthy and most of the time, obedient son. Watching Tim now with the young girl, he allowed himself to dream of a time when the next generation of green, red and yellow clad Drakes would come.

----

"I know father," Tim nodded his head, mentally repeating the 'suit' story by rote. "You don't have to keep reminding me."

"Hmm," Jack nodded. "Now hurry up before you get late."

"I'll stay with your mum till you return…" Ariana whispered pointing to the inside of the house. "…safe journey!" Spying an eye on Jack, she quickly leaned forward and planted a kiss on Tim's cheek.

"Thanks," Tim blushed as he returned the favor. "I'll be back as soon as I can….maybe even tonight. If I'm lucky."

"Okay, see you then."

**

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Note: This is a Elseworlds story, one that I am adapting from DC one. In case, you have read it, good for you. As you might have already noticed there are some changes and even though they are not major….yet, the story will soon takeoff on its own.**

However, if you are among those who have no idea what this is about, think about Justice League meets Lord of the Rings….but no character crossover.

Please review and let me know if I should continue or not!


	2. Birth of a Hero

**02. Birth of a Hero**

**Summary:** What awaits the young man? One night, and his life is changed forever.

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**KRAKKA-BOOM!**

A lightening strike lit up the sky, striking down a tree in the far distance as the green, red and gold clad teenager hurried up the stairs leading to the Oracle's temple. More ruins and cave, than an actual temple, it was called that because of reverence for the _being_ that resided there. Although the town folk did not actually worship the Oracle, they did respect him/her/it, and yet, no one had actually seen the all-knowing Oracle. Making an appearance soon after the end of the Great Beast, the Oracle was a spirit entity that seemed to spread through out the world, and even though initially people feared and distrusted him, slowly but surely the tide had turned in his favor. The fact that never in the thirteen years since his appearance had the Oracle asked for any kind of sacrifice, payment or return for his words of wisdom, also put things in his favor.

That being said, it was not everyone that the Oracle appeared or even spoke to. Wherever sanctuaries for him had been setup, a single person of the Oracle's choosing was the only one that was allowed to approach and talk to him. In the town of Haven, it had been Jack Drake, the bravest of the brave, a soldier of the Great Beast War, who received the honor being the Oracle's mouth to the peoples. That was until four years ago, when involved in a fall, Jack lost the use of his leg for three months. When the Oracle's call came, Tim stepped forth to represent his father. Till this day, neither the boy nor his father knew how the Oracle knew about his injuries. What the way, whatever the reason, the Oracle deigned to speak to the boy. Since that day, young Tim Drake a.k.a. Robin as his father had been called before him, took up the mantle of being the Oracle's representative in the town of Haven.

Such mystic was the Oracle's power that even with torrential rain pelting around him, Tim Drake was dry as the sand in the desert; his torch burning just as strongly, as the boy progressed towards the Oracle's lair.

----

"Wise one? S-Sire…?" The boy called out as he stepped into the usually dark cave. Right in front of him, in the middle of the drab surroundings, blazed a fire of an eerie green color, a head of the same hue floating up from it.

"I have dreamt of a Broken Green Chain that saves the world," the head's, Oracle's voice boomed against the cave walls. "Don't suppose you know anything about it…?"

"No." Tim numbly shook his head. Planting his torch in a holder, he stepped forth. Ever after four years the sight of the floating head never ceased to amaze him, or send a shiver down his spine. Magic was to feared, magic was to be revered, and for the teenager, none magic was stronger, more powerful than the Oracle's.

"Pity. It could be important." The head spoke from its earlier question. "So, tell me…." It asked as if just realizing something. "Why are you here?"

"Wha…" Tim's mouth fell open. "You….You summoned me, sire. I am Robin sire. Timothy Drake, son of Goodman Jack Drake of Haven."

"Ahh. Haven," the head nodded in confirmation. "An oasis of peace in a world ripped apart. Do you know your history boy?" It demanded. "Do you know of the Beast?"

"Only what my father told me sire…about the Battle of The High Peaks." Tim's eyes were wide in awe and maybe even the barest bit of fear, after all, it was not natural for a green colored head to be floating in the air, over fire. Just the green head was enough to rattle him, or anyone else for that matter, the rest of it was overkill.

"Good, good," once again the head _'nodded'_. "Then you know the world was once a different place. Border and boundaries meant little to peoples who lived in _harmony_. The coming of the Beast changed everything."

"Look at this," as if by magic, a map appeared in front of Tim. "Look now at this lonely world. The people are scattered like islands. There is no longer trust between them. The Beast was defeated, but his hunger lingers on."

As Tim watched, the Oracle began to explain the map and the various markings on it.

"In the west, Queen Diana and her Amazon warriors have retreated behind the water stockade that their gods created for them. Bitter and resentful, the now Queen's mother, Queen Hippolyta, withdrew from the rest of the world an especially the men she blamed. Their Amazonia, their Themiscyra, the one _they_ call paradise, is a mystic land, one where only a few men dare…if any. Who knows the state of affairs in Amazonia today? No one. Hippolyta had made a decree that any male entering Themiscyra would immediately forfeit his life…and although rumors are there, that, the new Queen is lenient and just…even towards men, none of the Amazons concern themselves with the matters of the world."

"Northeast of us," the mystically created hand moved to another part of the map. "The 'Three Men' have forgotten that evil exists since Despero the Conqueror was overthrown. Their Cit of the Center grows fat on trade, without even an army for times of trouble."

All of this, this vast world outside the limits of Haven was new to the young teenaged adventurer, new, intriguing and…. highly exciting.

"Kryptonia's glory has faded," the hand pointed towards a rather large, plain patch of land in the north. "The foundling King Kal'El weakens more everyday, as do its boundaries. The rebel, Lex Luthor and his armies have broken through and taken over large parts of the kingdom and even as we speak, bay at the gates of the capital city, Metropolis. It won't be long now before the reign of the just Kal'El ends and that of the tyrant Luthor begins."

"The Hawkmen…those few who survived, have disappeared into exile….no man knows where. Gallant, brave and strong, they too have lost interest in the matters of the world…and any hope. In the far north…."

"Pardon sire…" all this was getting too much for the small town boy, besides, he already knew most of this…by heart. "Surely I am not here to learn what I already know…?"

"Silence!" The Oracle's voice boomed in the cave. "Just like your father, eh? Impatient…or was it _Impertinent_?"

"In the far north lies the Gotham plateau," the head resumed as if nothing had happened. "A place of ghosts and a lorded over by its _insane_ ruler, that…" The fact that the head grew silent was intimation enough for Tim that whatever the Oracle said next, wasn't going to be something good.

---

"Late last night I had a vision," not good words to start with. "Monsters and black-eyed goblins, spewed forth from the depths. Haven was destroyed by Fang and by Fire, a maniacal laughter sounding through the night, a green haze falling all over."

'Haven!' Tim was up in an instant. "When will this happen, sire? I must warn them. I…."

"Too late, boy." A whoosh and a scene appeared in the fire…one of burning, slaughter, plunder….all in Haven. "It is happening NOW!"

"M-Mother, Father," Horrified eyes widened and filled up with tears. "Ariana! NO…!"

"I must go to them…Ahh!" _THUMP!_ The green, gold and red clad teenager leapt towards the door, only to felled by a vine wrapping itself around his leg and pulling him down.

"Fool!" The head bellowed again. "Would you hasten to your own death?"

"Let me go! LET ME GO!" The young boy's cries and his pulling had no affect on the Oracle or on the vine. "Please….I can save them…."

"It is too late for them," the Oracle almost showed emotion, even it were for the barest of an instant. "Stop your blubbering!" Just like that, the emotion was gone. "Time is short. The Evil has returned. The Beast lives again." The name of the Beast seemed to have some effect on the wallowing teenager. "It is _your_ task to warn the World. Tell them…to find victory; they must unite here, on the plains of World's End!"

"M-Me…?"

"Yes, YOU!" With a yank, invisible hands pulled Tim up into a standing position. "It will not be easy. Many will not believe you. Many will not listen…"

"Then how…?"

"To help you on your way, I give you this…"

As Tim watched, with a light shimmer a chest appeared before him. "Open it," at the Oracle's command he flipped open the cover, noting how the Oracle's insignia was on the top. Inside lay something familiar, a suit of red, green and yellow.

"This is no ordinary suit," the Oracle seemed to read his thoughts. "It is a suit of armor, one created specifically for you and your quest. Take it out and wear it…"

Numbed from the scene of Haven and dumbstruck into silence, Tim quickly changed, discarding his old, silk and cotton suit in favor of the new one, one made of a material that he did not know about. Finished as far as he was concerned, he held up the last two pieces of clothing, if that is what you could call them….a mask and a cape.

"Put them on," the Oracle commanded. When he was done, the head spoke again. "This suit of armor is made from Kevlar, the strongest, toughest material ever made. Weighing a tenth of the normal metal armor, it is ten times as strong and a hundred times as flexible." The strength Tim did not know about, but the flexibility…it felt like a second skin.

"The cape is made of a mystic cloth." It seemed like any normal cape to Tim…well, maybe except for its color. While black on the outer side, it was yellow on the inside, just like his belt and the 'R' on the left side of his chest.

"What does it do?" Curiosity got the better of him. 'And what do they do?' He stared at the various weapons and gadgets lying at the bottom of the chest.

---

"Come here," the head spoke again and without even waiting for a response, its hand reached forth and grabbed the boy's head, effectively muting him….and also the scream that tore from the boy's mouth as he felt a million needles sink into his brain. It all lasted for but a second, after which….

"It helps me glide…." Tim gave the answer to his own question. With a single touch, the Oracle imparted all the knowledge and skills that the young man would need to use his armor and weaponry in his quest. "….and hide." True enough, as he wrapped the cape around himself, the shadows seemed to gravitate towards the otherwise colorful and lively costume.

'The mask!'

Bringing it up to his face, Tim placed the miniscule mask over his eyes. Although offering very little protection from the elements as such, the mask in itself held hidden surprises, ones that would show itself when the time and situation were appropriately demanding.

Yet, there remained a certain hesitation in the boy's mind…after all; he was just a boy, not even a man. How could he succeed where others had…?

"You are the son of a hero, Tim Drake. You too will become a hero…

….or by the Void, you will die trying! …Robin."

'Robin,' that was the last word Tim heard as the Oracle's head and its voice faded into nothingness, taking the now empty chest and Tim's old clothes with it.

----

'Robin.' That is what his father called him….

…..and that was who he would be now.

**

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Note: While many of the dialogues and the base plot are inspired from the Elseworlds story, 'Riddle of the Beast,' the actual story will work out quite different. For example, the whole costume thing…my idea. Also, have tried to keep the city/kingdom/peoples names same as the normal ones, so as not to get too confusing.**

Please review…..got just two for the first chapter. _:Whiny face:_


	3. Way of the Warrior

**03. Way of the Warrior**

**Summary:** Returning home, what awaits the young Robin….and what next?

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Even as Tim, the new 'official' Robin, seemingly withered away into the shadows of the night, hurrying towards his home of Haven, the forces of darkness, the Beast, converged upon the Oracle's lair.

"Ah, the Great Oracle," a deep voice called out. "Another one of the old fools….the last one."

Although most of the Oracle's essence had faded away, there was enough left to question the identity of the intruders. Did they not know that the grounds of the Oracle's sanctuary were consecrated and fowl beasts were not to enter?

"Who are you?" The great green head boomed. Its pale, pupil-less eyes staring at the door as a great hulking figure pushed through it to enter the inner sanctum, even as the other undead minions scurried in on the floor and in the air.

"You don't recognize me?" A giant head with grotesque reptilian features and equally numerous and sharp teeth stepped out and towards the fire. In its weapon dripped fresh blood, the same as that spattered all over his body and even colored his mouth and face, its long tongue licking a little of it off every few seconds. "Look closer!"

"You! Waylon Jones? The criminal? But you went into the Abyss with the Beast….You died!"

"Yes." The monster laughed a maniacal laughter. "Yet I live again…as Croc, Killer Croc."

Lifting its pickaxe like weapon, the now bestial Waylon, Killer Croc stepped up to the 'Oracle' and swung with all his might…..only to have it pass through the nearly faded head.

"W-What?"

"I will not be slain so easily Croc…" it sounded as if the Oracle words came from far away. "….Especially not by the likes of you."

With that there was all but air, empty space in which the enraged Croc kept on swinging his axe.

"NNNNnnnnooooo…."

----

Haven,

Time had slowed to a crawl for Robin, and in the dead silence that surrounded him, he could even hear the pounding of his own heart over the hiss of rain and the crackle of the flames….

His home, his town, Haven, is burning to the ground and the only other sound reaching him is the dripping of blood, seeping from lifeless flesh….staining the damp green grass red, the same grass on which, only a few hours ago, he had kissed his ladylove.

Rushing to his home, whatever little hope he had left fled from him, for sitting there by a support beam was his mother…dead, with a large spear sticking out of her gut, her face still contorted in a long pain. Right next to her lay his father….his trusty sword still loosely grasped in his hand. A true soldier, warrior, hero, he fought to the very end.

If that wasn't enough….just a few feet away, blood and mud staining her long raven colored hair, her rose still in place, lay the girl who wanted nothing more from life except having one with this young man. All she wanted was a nice cozy home, two kids and him. Alas, she was to get neither.

"Ariana…" Tim fell to his knees. Gently cradling the rapidly cooling body of his best friend, he turned her towards him, her face clearing up as the rain, washed the blood and the dirt away. "….my love."

---

In one instant, his whole world destroyed, his home, his family, his love….all gone, Tim was alone.

Yet, he felt nothing, for he could feel nothing, such was the shock. However, even in his numbed state, he knew one thing….that there was no way to put it back together, only to make sure that it did not happen with every other family all over the world.

With that single thought echoing through his mind, the young Robin stumbled away into the storm, paying no attention to the wild cried rending the dark of the night.

-----

Next morning,

"Father…." Tim kneeled before the newly anointed grave of his heroic father, his mother and Ariana buried a few feet away.

Toiling through the night, numb and freezing under the incessant rain, he provided last rites to the three most important people of his young life. Hearing nothing else but the faded cries of his loved ones, he could not even close his eyes for a second, for anytime he did that, all he saw was Ariana's pain wracked face. The same face that in all its innocence had colored red when she kissed him was not a pale lifeless yellow, the red coloring it now was the red of blood.

As the sun rose up over the mountains, he carried each one of them up onto the Field of Stones, the burial grounds for the residents of Haven….a Haven now destroyed, a Haven no more.

Finally, his prayers done, his tears shed, he grasped his father's sword and dug it down as a marker into the ground.

"You died fighting for us, for me, for mother…for Ariana," his voice cracked just a bit as the warrior within him rose to the surface. "I shall follow in your footsteps father. I will endeavor to be a warrior like you….

….or die trying to be one."

----

Elsewhere,

"It is done….the warrior forged….his journey begun."

**TBC….**

Please Review!


	4. Chance Meeting

**04. Chance Meeting**

**Summary:** A mystery stranger, the first battle and a few realizations

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The sun disappeared over the far mountains as a lone figure trudged through the _'odd'_ forest….Odd because of the color of the leaves on its trees. Unlike any other tree, bush or plant Tim had ever seen before, the leaves, branches and trunks were all black in color. At first, he thought that they might be dead, but the rustling told him otherwise. Nevertheless, there wasn't a single living creature in sight….and that stuck him as odd.

Just when he thought that he should hurry up and get past this enchanted foliage, a cold feeling of someone watching him dawned over him. Instinctively pulling his cape around himself, Tim firmed his fingers around his staff….and just in time too, for the very next moment, a smaller, lighter, purple and blue clad figure blindsided him.

The collision had made Tim's backpack fall off, spilling its contents all over the forest floor. Although none of his weapons or gadgets, the one that the Oracle had given him, were in that, it did contain the rest of the meager belongings he had collected before leaving Haven. A couple of changes of clothes, eatables, including the last cake that his mother would ever bake for him, small mementos to remember his father, his mother and Ariana, the three most important people on his life, a pack of fire-matches and a few other miscellaneous stuff.

"Hey!" Tim called out as he realized that his attacker had already vanished in the thick tree cover. However, any curses that he would have inflicted were lost as a shrill scream tore through the darkening skies. It came from the direction that the figure, a woman he surmised from her scream, had run off too.

Within the blink of an eye, his Oracle granted skills took over, and he bolted…expertly honing in onto where the scream came from.

What he saw next, sent a chill down his spine.

---

Standing above and around the masked stranger, pulling her by shoulder length blonde hair, their faces and mouths colored with fresh blood….fresh human blood, were six of the ugliest clowns, if you could call them that, Tim had ever seen. He called them clowns because of the sinister grin on their faces, their orc like faces accentuated by the blood rimming their distended lips. That and the faintest whisper at the back of his mind, a remnant from the Oracle's gift, told him that they were a breed of orcs, an especially evil and maniacal breed, called the _Jokerz_. Evil by themselves, their monstrous nature was supplanted and multiplied by the mists that the Evil Jester, the pale skinned, green haired, purple wearing, Joker prepared in his lair. These creatures, although slain and burned by the soldiers of the lands they chanced upon, still dotted the countryside by the hundreds, if not thousands.

Rumors abounded, that, at one time, they had been human….just as the Joker himself had been once. The Joker along with his second, the Black Mask, not only captured and tortured them, something that both monsters reveled in, he also made them eat human flesh, before finally exposing their fractured minds and torn bodies to his Joker mist. The flesh that they were forced to eat, and which their tormentors too favored in their meals, came from the bodies of those who died during their tortures…sometimes, more often than no, from one or more of their own family members.

---

His first instinct was to jump in and just start slashing around…or rather that was what it would have been before his _training_ at the hand of the Oracle. As he slinked into the shadows, a deep voice replaced the Oracle's in his mind. This voice, guttural in its tone, guided him, pointing out how and in which order to take out each and everyone of these one time humans, who as it seemed now, were just looking for a bite to eat…from the woman lying at their feet.

"Come on chickee, he he he, give us a bite, he he ha ha ha…." The nails-on-board laughter sent fresh tremors through Tim's heart. Although his mind told him that he could do this do, he had the skills and the weapons to do this, his heart did not seem all too inclined to along with it. After all, maybe inside this scarred, mangled piece of black and grey flesh, their faces white and their hair green as an aftereffect of the mist…maybe there was still some humanity in them.

"Looks tasty…he he he he he…." Another one shot out between his hyenas like guffaws.

"Hmm…he he he…finger lickin' good…" came another one, as the speaker licked off the blood on his fingers.

----

"Get…away…from ME." The woman, a young one Robin assumed as he stalked close enough for a strike, gathered her wits and her fast failing strength, thanks to the blood flowing from her sides, and struck out, catching one of her attackers right in the face. Even though she struck with all her might, it did not help her much, as even as one of them fell away, a second one stepped up, grasped her by her neck and pulled her up to his blood-slobbering face.

A forked tongue snaked out and licked at the blood oozing out of the fresh wound at her forehead.

"Nicesssss…." This specific joker spoke with a hiss, akin to that of a snake. At one time in his life, before the Joker got him, this _man_ had been a circus performer gone bad…a snake charmer no less. Giving up on his vocation, he turned to the dark arts and in one freak accident, merged with his pet snake.

Rather than try to find a cure for himself, he took on the name of the snake's name, Copperhead and began a reign of terror, murder and looting that ended only when he ran into an even bigger snake, the Joker's second, the Black Mask. Now, he was just an odd but incredibly lethal combination of his own snake powers, and the Joker's madness. The only thing that occupied his mind, his thoughts was the constant need for feeding….which given the way his fanged teeth were extending towards the succulent neck of his latest victim. All the others with him knew better than to come in between Copperhead and his meal. They would wait until he started feeding and would then tears off pieces for themselves.

Too bad, it was not going to happen.

---

'Pull on your cowl...your hood,' the deep voice commanded Robin.

'You will know when the time comes.' That was what the Oracle had told him about his mask. It would work when he pulled on the hood of his cape in battle.

"Here goes nothing," Tim whispered under his breath and with one hand pulled on the hood onto his face. As soon as that happened, a change started to rise up from within him. Not only did the mask and hood join to become one, his costume also started to under a change. Already strong and able to withstand any blow, it got beefed up even further, as a surge of energy and confidence filled the young man wearing it. It was almost as if a spirit had descended onto him.

From there on, everything was a blur as Robin, charged up, all doubts from his heart gone, leapt into the fray and quickly made small work of five of the six Jokerz. Although all larger than him, none of them had the finesse and skill to take on a fighter like him, each falling away to the ground as a staff, which opened up to two razor sharp blades, sliced their heads right off their bodies. Even though he knew that it was him doing all this, moving this way, Tim was still surprised and felt like somewhat of a third person observer than an actual participant. A resurgent Oracle in his mind told him that as he got used to it, learnt to control, and wield his skills, the feeling would fade, as would the sensation of someone talking in his head.

"Let her go," Robin growled at Copperhead. Even though he was more than a little surprised, the giggling-hissing maniac did not let go of his prey….neither did he try to help the others with him. They could all die for all he cared, that would more food for him. If it not were for the fact that the Joker flesh tasted vile and its blood burnt like acid, he would have already gobbled up the ones with him.

"Hssss…" was the reply that Robin got as an incredibly long and powerful tail struck him to send him flying into the bushes. Confident in his strength, Copperhead was sure that the blow would surely have knocked out his 'next' meal, of not broken his neck outright, hence, instead of doing a follow up, his turned back to the _morsel_ he held in his hand. Finally succumbing to the blood loss, the female had slipped into unconsciousness, with one last thought on her mind. 'At least, I won't feel the pain.'

---

"Come….sss….prettyssss….Ugh," a sudden pain shooting up from his chest and the blood gurgling up his throat, caused the demented Copperhead to stop and look down at the source of the pain. Sticking out from his chest, right where his heart lay was a thin but incredibly hard and sharp piece of metal.

"Youu….he he he….ssss…." The jokerized man-snake let go of the woman and turned around to Robin, his tail automatically wrapping itself around the teenager. "Die…ss…he he he."

Stunned at seeing the villainous man-reptile still alive and moving, even after having his heart skewered through, Robin faltered for a second, long enough for Copperhead to wrap his tail around him, but not long enough for him to make another move.

As of drawn by its own volition, or by a skill that the teenager possessed, but did not know about, his free hand rose up and even as Copperhead reached to grab him, swung and chopped almost all of his arm and a quarter of his face right off…thus cutting off any cry, hiss or scream. Tim did not know what metal the blade were made off, but the manner in which they cut through bone and flesh reminded him of a red hot knife slicing through freshly churned butter.

One more swish and whatever part of Copperhead's head remained, hit the ground and rolling away towards the bushes.

----

Robin had faced, fought and trounced in his first battle…..and even he did not know how, but given the blood and gore, surrounding him and the remote possibility that there might be others to chance in upon the scene, he did the only thing and cautious teen would do….he ran.

He picked up the unconscious form of the woman, and he ran as fast as his legs would carry him, putting at least seven miles of distance between himself and the battle scene, before stopping to tend to his wounds of his woman…girl, he realized, he had just saved.

---

Later, once he tended to her wounds and tucked her in for the night, Tm finally relaxed enough to let his own pain and fatigue slip through.

Even with his body tired from a whole day's trekking, not to mention the fight and the subsequent doubling of the weight he had to lug around, Tim had a sort of calm confidence dawn inside him.

He could do this. With his parents' wishes and blessings behind him, their courage adding and bolstering his own, the Oracle granted powers and skills protecting him in battle…he could do this.

Sparing one last glance at the, as he realized now, girl, the corner of his lips curved inspite of themselves as the last pre-sleep thought flashed across his mind.

'At least that's the last I'll see of whatever that Copperhead thing was.'

----

Next morning,

"Greetings, I am Tim Drake, son of Jack Drake of Haven. I am called Robin."

"Greetings, I am Stephanie Brown of…uh...wherever. I am...umm….called, uh, Spoiler."


	5. Sign of the Bat

**05. Sign of the Bat**

**Summary:** The Night? It was...is supposed to be a time of rest. Just look at what happens this night.  
-----------

"Are you _out of your mind_?" Tim flinched at the shrill voice echoing in the hills surrounding them. In front of them, as far as the naked eye could see, extended a valley, the valley into which the young Robin planned to start into, on way to his first part of his long journey. His first destination? Gotham.

"What do you mean?" He frowned, pulling his cape closer around him. With the night closed around them and their camp set up, the duo were midway through dinner and with Tim's telling his new companion about his plans so she could decide whether to accompany him or depart to…well, wherever she wanted to go.

"You want to go to Gotham?" The way the blonde haired Stephanie spoke the word Gotham, she might as well have been talking about the deepest, darkest pit of hell. "Have you gone out of your mind?"

"No." His frown deepening into a scowl, Tim stared at the luminous blaze, using a piece of twig to stoke it further. "You don't _understand_."

"What do I don't understand?" Stephanie threw his words back at him. "Do I not understand that you have some secret you don't want to tell me about? I understand that. Do I not understand that seeing as that you most definitely saved my shapely behind back there from those…those _things_, I should try to return the favor? I understand that. What I don't understand why do you want to go into jaws of death by going to that place? Don't you know what they do to people like you there?"

"_People like me?"_ It was Tim's turn to echo her words. The Oracle hadn't said anything about such a thing. Then again, she…he…_it_ hadn't been all that clear with the instructions, especially any such warnings?

"Yes, people like you," Stephanie gestured towards Tim's general form, including his sheathed twin-blades. Still not getting any favorable response at her warning, she elaborated further. "Like…like…hmph, people with magical powers."

"What do you mean?"

Sighing and shaking her head at Robin's hardheaded and suspicious attitude, the by nature chirpy and helpful Stephanie started to tell what she knew about the _bottomless_ _well_ that was Gotham.

"I don't know much," she stated beforehand. "But it is said that anyone going to Gotham, th-they don't come back. I mean there is this wall, I mean that high," she gestured raising her arm as high as she could, "surrounding the whole plateau of Gotham, and once you get inside, you cannot come out. Never...never ever..._ever_."

"And?" Tim urged her to continue, wanting to get the complete story before reaching a decision.

"And that for anyone like you," once again a slender finger pointed towards him. "If any _outside_ magical creature tries to even step onto the plateau or even get into the air, let alone the city, they are hunted down by these eight…no, ten…no, fifteen foot high man-machines. Hunted down and _killed_. And after that, that is after they kill you, they change you, I mean your corpse…change you so that you become one of them, and then you also do the same thing as them, hunting others."

"Whoa!"

"Yeah, whoa." Stephanie nodded quickly, almost as if expecting one of those blue-armored man-machines to show up there. "So _boy hero_, don't even plan of going there. In fact, I say, even forget you even heard the name Gotham at all."

Even with this new development, one whose authenticity Tim couldn't confirm, he still had to find a way to go the city, after all, the Oracle did say that everyone would need to come together and only then could they stop the Beast and end its reign of terror once and for all.

So, what was he supposed to do now?

---

Later that night,

"Nnn-no…no…I-I can't…please…."

It took Stephanie a few seconds to realize that the voices she was imagining or maybe dreaming, it wasn't either a dream or a hallucination. It was in fact, her companion talking to in his sleep…or from the looks it, pleading.

Moving slowly as if the danger was very much there, she crawled over to Tim's side and gently tapped on his shoulder.

"Tim…Tim." She called out softly, hoping to rouse him but without the usual screaming and shock of a person coming out of a nightmare. "Robi-"

"AAARRGGGHHH!" A loud blood-curdling cry tearing from his lips, Tim not only jolted awake, his new skills also reacted and Stephanie found herself throat to tip with a rather sharp blade, one of the two she had seen being used not even half a day ago. What made her blood run even colder was the blank look on Tim's face. It was almost as if he wasn't quite there.

Already frightened beyond her usual 'limit', she nearly fainted when Tim spoke to her…only with a voice that was clearly older and not quite his, a voice that was female.

"Who are you?" The voice asked her. "_Answer_ _me!_ Who are you and what are doing here?"

"I-I-I-…" try as she might the young woman couldn't get either her real or 'secret' name out.

"Answer me or I slice your throat." And true to her words, the stranger in Tim's body stuck the tip of the blade against the girl's throat, just hard enough for her to feel the prick, but not enough to draw blood.

"Ste-ummn-…anie."

"_What?"_

"St-Step….Stephanie."

"What are you doing here?" The blade stayed at its place.

"Y-You…I mean he, I mean Tim…h-he-he-…" there wasn't even space for her to gulp. "He rescue…rescued me from the Jokerz."

"Jokerz." The stranger eased on her grip, but only enough so as to allow the girl to better explain herself.

"Yes. Six of them. I was injured," she nodded towards her bandages. "So he…uh, brought me here. I…"

"_Shut up."_ The stranger growled again, only this time, her tone held a little less anger and the barest of understanding. From anyone else, Stephanie would have called it compassion but not from this…this, who ever this was.

"Umm." The normally talkative Stephanie wisely zipped her lips.

---

For what appeared like ages, Tim's seemingly blank eyes stared down at her. Stephanie wasn't even sure if he was even breathing. 'God.' She prayed. 'What have I gotten myself into this ti…'

"Steph?" She stopped short as the familiar, friendly and given their current state, confused voice of Tim sounded to her. "Wha-Oh _god_." He swore and practically flew off the girl under him, instinctively flinging his blade away from him.

"What's going on here?" His panicked cry echoed into the empty night.

"I-I don't know." Stephanie didn't think this was possible. If she had been frightened before, she was downright _'scared spitless'_ now. "You were sleeping and-"

"You attacked me?" Tim accused, looking all over her as if trying to find a weapon on her.

"_NO!_ No, I didn't. It was the other way around." Was he mad or what? 'Jeesh Steph,' the blonde teen frowned at herself. 'After what just happened…you got any doubt left about that? No wonder he wants to go to Gotham.' That should have been signal enough for her. His going to Gotham. No 'magic wielder' in their right mind would even dare that.

"What do you mean 'the other way around'? Why would I attack you?" Tim scowled at her thinking that maybe he shouldn't have tossed his blade away.

"Yes. No. It was her."

"Her? Who her?" There was no one around them.

"I mean…it was you but it was also her, the her inside you." This was getting them nowhere. "Wait please," she startled as Tim withdrew a smaller but equally sharp knife from within his boots. "I can explain. Don't kill me. Please."

"I am not going to kill you…yet." With what he had just experienced in his dream…his nightmare, Tim had a little more than zero inclination to hear any sort of explanation. After all, hadn't the Oracle told him that he would face many difficulties on his journey…many _deceptions_. Maybe this girl was one of them. Maybe she wasn't even a girl at all.

'Yet!' Her internal alarms ringing in full emergency mode, Stephanie literally fumbled and fell over her words in trying to get as clear a recount of the events of a short time ago…and as fast as possible. It wasn't just as if her life depended on it…it was that it _really_ did, at least in her mind.

---

By the time she finished, not only had Tim calmed down, he was in fact staring open mouthed at her.

"You mean she was here?" He gulped. "That she was real."

"Real?" What did he mean by real? Of course she was real. As real as the blade-tip that had been at her neck. "Yes." She nodded.

"Huh." Tim slumped against the tree trunk he had lined up against. 'That way if the girl did attack, he would have one side covered. How he came to know that bit of strategy had been a mystery to him…until now. "It wasn't just a dream."

"Dream?" Get away Steph. Get away from this boy right _now_. Despite her inner warning, Stephanie slowly inched towards her el-loco companion. "What do you mean…" she stopped, drawing in a deep breath at the bloodstain on Tim's left arm, the stain that hadn't been there a few hours ago.

"What happened to you?" She squeaked pointing at the clearly bleeding arm.

"Wha-oh." Tim gaped at his arm. 'This was where she cut…._no_. It wasn't a dream.'

"What wasn't a dream?" Stephanie's question drawing him out of his stupor, he instinctively flinched as she reached up and pulled up his sleeve…only to reveal a fresh but already bandaged wound.

"The girl…the woman," Tim corrected himself. "She was in my dream. At least I thought it was a dream…until…now." His gaze returned to his arm, his mind a swirl of barely vague images, images of a dress in black armor female form…with a 'bat' engraved on her chest.

"What was she doing there?" 'Oh lordy,' Stephanie was seriously considering that maybe she shouldn't have even gotten out of bed in the morning. Then none of this would happen. No Jokerz wanting to eat her alive, no strange man…boy appearing out of nowhere and saving her…and most of all no scary strange dream woman coming out of where she should have stayed…in his dreams. "She your girl or something?"

"No. She's not," Tim shook his head, his shoulders slumping at the memory of _his_ girl, of Ariana. "She…died."

"Oh." 'Way ta go Steph.' Stephanie admonished herself. 'Things weren't bad enough that you just had to go and shove your foot in your mouth.'

"So who was she?" The young woman blurted out, hoping to change the subject.

"She…she…" Who was she? Even Tim wasn't quite sure about that. "I don't know. But she…she was teaching me."

"Teaching you?" Teaching him what? How to scare people?

"She was teaching me how to fight." The look that his answer got him was one of clear disbelief.

"But you already know how to fight."

"No, I don't." Tim shook his head. Taking a deep breath, he went to recount in detail what all had happened with, right from when the Oracle called him, to how his strange woman was teaching him to use the powers…the skills he had gotten. 'You must learn to use and control them,' she had said to him. 'Not the other way around.'

Though she did not say one single word after that, it had been enough for Tim, for he remembered how during his battle with the Jokerz he had left that as if he wasn't quite there…that it wasn't him doing the fighting, but someone else, someone who had shown no mercy in his…or her actions.

What it had been was skills running free…and without any conscious control from him, to their full-extent.

"Oh." Once again, Stephanie was as lost as a toddler in a fair. "So…she was teaching you how to control them, and that's how you got hurt."

"Yes."

Well, there wasn't much left to say after that, at least not from Stephanie's end. She really needed to get some sleep, one hopefully without any strange Bat-women, and maybe in the morning things would be clearer. 'Or maybe I'll wake up and find that this all was a dream,' she shook her head at her own thoughts. 'Yeah sure. Like that's going to happen. And it's not like everything about this is bad,' she glanced at Tim. 'No sir, some things are in fact very good…very _hunkie_.'

"You should get some sleep," Tim gestured towards her bedding.

"Oh, yes," Stephanie's cheeks colored at being caught gawking. "You?"

"I...I'll keep watch." There was no way Tim going to sleep tonight. So spooked was he that he was considering actually forgoing any sleep.

"Uh-okay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

-

-

**Note:** Well that took long…Maybe because I veered (a lot) from the comic story. Then again, this isn't supposed to be a word for word copy.

Still, next…the journey continues. First stop? Well, lets just say that I hope you've read the Elseworlds comic (Riddle of the Beast) and also have seen the JLU animated series.

Please Review!


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